Diethylaminoethyl dextran has been reported to be effective in treating hypercholesteremia in mammals and birds (Parkinson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,892), reducing blood lipids (Kuzuya, U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,057) and in reducing body weight by inhibiting lipid absorption (Fischetti, U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,826). In production by conventional methods, for example as described in the Parkinson and Kuzuya patents referred to above, it has been found that the product contains impurities which produce discoloration and require removal by recrystallization or reprecipitation and/or treatment with activated carbon, dialysis or the like. Such procedures involve substantial losses of product as well as considerable time and expense.
As described on the prior art, DEAE--dextran is generally produced by reacting dextran with diethylaminoethyl chloride hydrochloride in the presence of an alkali metal hydroxide.